Potato-planter.



L. A. ASPINWALL.

POTATO PLANTBR. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 27, 1912.

1,085,587 Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L. A. ASPINWALL POTATO PLANTER. APPLICATION 11.31) JULY 27,1912.

1,085,587. Patented Feb.3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-. PINWALL, a citizen of the United States, re-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWfs nueusrosnsrmwnt, or Jackson, moment; Assmnoa r nsrmwntt. manorncrtmme column, or JACKSON, moment, a cott'rom'r'ro'n or moment.

POTATO-PLANNER.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

Application filed July 27, 1912. Serial ll'o. 711,783.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, LEWIS Aooosros Assiding at J ackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Potato-Planters, of which the following is a specification. v

-. My present invention relates to improve aforesai ments upon the potato planting devices shown anddescribed in Letters Patent heretofore granted to 'me, and particularly to Letters atent No. 864,595, dated August 27, 1907, {and Letters Patent No. 1,059,810, dated April 22, 1913. A u

The object of my present invention is to increase the efficiency and capacity of'the hopper structures heretofore employed by me, particularly with reference to the capacity of the potato planter for planting two rows of potatoes simultaneously, thusperforming double work. Hence the hoperbuapacit-y must be fully or more than on e.

In carrying out my invention,.and in combination with the essential devices hereto, fore em loyed by me in machines of my patents, I employ a hopper adapted for discharging the potatoes into the 'concaves of the magazine from which they are taken up by the pickers, and flexible material hoppers, of tapering outline largest at the upper ends and securely fastened in position above said hopper. I'also employ a unitary or superposed hopper above, connected to and su ported by and from the supports of the ning the adjacent portions of the flexible material hoppers, all of which is hereinafter,

more particularly set forth. I In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation at the left-hand side of my improved potato planter, with the left wheel removed.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, and Fig. 3 isa plan.

of my improved form of hopper.

Similar letters and numerals of reference indicate similar'parts in all the figures. There are parts which are illustrated in Fig. 1, which are necessary to the full understanding of certain parts of the potato planter .with which the improved ho pers of my present invention are associate but which parts form no essential part of the throu exible material hoppers, and embracing a bridge part span- I present improvement, the same being similar to what I have heretofore shown in my aforesaid patent and application. These parts relate particularly to the frame, the main axle, one of the wheels, and the divided pole.

a a represent my improved flexible material hoppers. These are preferablyof a tapering outline, largest at the upper end and securely fastened in any desired manner, preferably to a strap frame b of metal at their upper ends. I prefer that the strap frame haveits counter-part inside the frame or frame members, there being bolts passing gh said parts and through the flexible material of the hoppers to make a tight and secure Joint of the parts for supporting the hoppers at their upper ends. This strap frame is supported by frame members 6 I) generally. arranged vertically, and at their upper ends bolted to the stra frame I) and at their lower ends connected y the bolts 6 preferably to the u per side portions of the magazine 7, and l struction to employ the metalbracket members 3 extending from the. vertical frame members 6 b to the strap frame 6 so as to overcome any sagging tendency. The support for these sack hoppers is exceedingly rigid, and the lower contractile ends of .these flexible material hoppers come within portions of the magazine or receiving hopper.

A special feature of my present invention relates to the unitary hopper d, preferably of inflexiblematerial and superposed upon the flexible hoppers a a and adapted for holding an abundant supply of potatoes to be planted. This hopper may be made of any desired material, and it is advanta'geously made rigid, as there is no necessity of making it flexible. From this hopper the potatoes descend freely by gravity into the flexible material hoppers, .and with the agitation aiforded by the pieces 4, 5, pass from there to the concaves, to be taken 3 1 y pickers. This unitary hopper is connects to the strap frame I) and advantageously and additionally held to its frame by a short strap 2, on each side held by screws and bolted to the frame. This hopper, as will appear from Fig. 3 of the draw-.

mg, is provided with a central bridge part e, and it embraces the upper open ends of both the flexible material hoppers a a. or in other words straddles the gap between the said prefer with this conhoppers so that no potatoes can fall through and so that an abundant supply of potatoes placed in the hoppers a a a11d.filling the hopper d will provide a supply for quite an appreciable distance of planting. As used, the potatoes will flow out of the hopper (1 into the flexible material hoppers a a and from these into the magazine 7 into the concaves, bein directed or diverted in transit by the bri ge part 6. The drawing shows the lower contracted ends of these flexible material hoppers a a coming forward of and within the flanged prolongations b of the magazine or receiving hopper.

I do not limit my invention to the manner of connecting the vertical frame members 6 b for their support, as they may be connected, as stated, to the side portions of the magazine 7 or to the side frame of the machine,or both, as may appear advantageous.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a potato planter, a frame, a unitary hopper secured to and extending above the said frame, flexible material hoppers secured to and extending below the said frame and communicating with the said unitary hopper, with the adjacent sides of the said flexible hoppers spaced appreciably at their lines of connection to the said frame and unitary hopper, and a magazine below each of the said flexible hoppers.

2. In a potato planter, a unitary hop er secured to and extending above a suita le frame, flexible material hoppers secured to and extending below the said frame communicating with the said unitary hopper, and having their adjacent sides spaced appreciably at their lines of connection to the said frame and unitary hopper, a bridge connected with the unitary-hopper having inelined sides and extending between the said flexible material hoppers, and a magazine below each of the said flexible hoppers.

3. In a potato planter, a unitary hopper secured to and extendin above a suitable frame, flexible material hoppers secured to and extending below the said frame communicating with the said unitary hopper, and having their adjacent sides spaced appreciably at their lines of connection to the said frame and unitary hopper, a bridge connected with the unitary hopper having inclined sides and extending between the said flexible material hoppers, an agitating device within each of the sald flexible material hoppers, and a magazine below each of the said flexible hoppers.

Signed by me this 17th day of July I912.

LEWIS AUGUSTUS ASPINWALL. Witnesses:

C. G. ROWLEY, GEO. N. WHITNEY. 

